The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 09 eBook

LINDENSCHMIED (puts his hands with convulsive haste
into his pockets).

And nothing—­absolutely nothing—­not
even a blunt knife about me!

SCENE III

The same. Enter ANDREW.

ANDREW (entering).

Isn’t it close in here! [Takes off his muffler.]
Good evening.

[Wraps the muffler around the lock of the gun,
and puts the gun next to him against the wall.]

I advise every one not to touch this; the gun is loaded.

[To the host.]

I do not know what is the matter with me. All
at once I began to feel so badly out there. I
was going to wait for my brother at the boundary.
HOST.

Make yourself at home, Mr. Andrew.

ANDREW.

I suppose William has not yet come.

[Throws himself on a bench, puts his arms upon
the table and rests his head upon them.]

FREI (rattles his glass on the table).

Let me have another one, host. And it is a favor
that I now drink in your place, when you still charge
for it. In a week from now you will have to provide
the stuff, and no honest man need pay you a penny for
it, I tell you.

LINDENSCHMIED (from this point on incessantly casting
furtive glances sometimes at ANDREW, sometimes
at the gun).

If he would only go to sleep—­that fellow!

[Leaning across the table, secretly to FREI.]

There in the Dell, you say?—­And are you
quite sure, Frei, that nothing will be punished any
longer?

FREI.

Superstition, I tell you! If you do something,
and they hang you, you may call me a rascal for the
rest of your life. Look here! What formerly
was called fidelity and honesty, that’s a tale
with which old grannies used to humbug us. And
a fellow that keeps his word is a scoundrel; such
a one I would not trust as far as the door. The
common people are essentially honest, because they
are the common people. You ought to hear those
gentlemen over there talk; there was a professor among
them; he ought to know.

LINDENSCHMIED (leads him aside).

But what about conscience? And about the hereafter?

FREI.

All superstition! Nothing else, let me tell you.

LINDENSCHMIED.

That’s what I always thought. But formerly
a person was not allowed to say such things.

FREI.

They humbugged people with heaven and hell, so that
our noble and gracious master might keep his hares
all to himself. They have drummed a conscience
into poor people in their childhood, so that they
should submit patiently when the rich are living in
luxury and extravagance.